Camber: An angle adjustment to the front wheels that determines how the tires make contact with the track while cornering. The camber is said to be negative if the top of the wheel is angled inward. If there's too much camber on one side of a tire, overwear is imminent, and so is a flat.
Car chief: Focuses solely improving the car during the course of a race and has no media responsibilities.
Caution (Yellow Flag): A period in racing in which track conditions are too hazardous for racing due to an accident or debris on the racing surface. The cars remain in their racing positions behind the pace car until it is determined that it is safe to resume the race.
Caution: A period of a race when the field slows behind the pace car and passing is not allowed. Cautions come about when there is trouble on the track (an accident, an oil leak, rain, etc.). The caution period ends when the problem is alleviated.
"Chase for the Championship": NASCAR's new system for determining the champion. After 26 races, all drivers in the top ten in points or within 400 of the leader are put on a more level playing field with five points between each position. The final 10 races thus play a larger role in determining the winner.
Chassis: The framework which supports the body of the car. Stock cars use a steel tube frame chassis. Adjusting the chassis will also adjust how the bodywork fits over it, which affects a car's aerodynamics.
Checked Up: While racing the driver slows down slightly - something like just lifting his foot from the accelerator.
Checkered Flag: The black and white checkered flag is the most coveted flag of all. As the cars cross the finish line, under the flying checkered, their positions are permanently recorded. The checkered flag means the race is complete and a winner declared.
Cockpit: The area in the race car that holds the driver.
Collect: A spinning car will often "collect" up a few other cars and take them out of the race.
Compound: A formula or "recipe" of rubber composing a particular tire. Different tracks require different tire compounds. Left-side tires are considerably softer than right-side tires and it's against the rules to run left sides on the right.
Compression Ratio: The total volume of the cylinder compared to the compressed volume when the piston reaches the top of its stroke. The higher the ratio, the more power the engine produces. Winston Cup engines have a compression ratio of 12 to 1.
Crew chief: He is the Team Leader. His duties vary from team to team but can include everything from making assignments in the shop, calling the shots in the pits, talking to the driver over the radio, and communicating with the media.
Cross: The difference in weight between the left front corner of the car and its right rear corner.
Cut tire: The slicing or puncturing of a tire surface due to contact with debris or another race car. This is more common at short tracks, where bumping is frequent.
Darlington Stripe: A NASCAR term for touching lightly the right hand side of the car close to the outside wall thus scraping the paint and metal. It gets its name from the Darlington Raceway where cars often bump the outside wall, resulting in a black mark on the side of their car.
DNF: The driver in the race "Did Not Finish".
DNS: The driver "Did Not Start" the race.
DNQ: The driver "Did Not Qualify" for the race.
Donut: The round tire marks found on the side panels of cars when they bump into one another. The result of a bump creates a black circular mark - also great breakfast food when you're in a hurry.
Downforce: The air pressure on the car that pushes it down onto the racetrack, helping it stick to the track. Downforce increases with velocity. It is affected and controlled by the shape of the body components. At flat tracks, downforce is particularly important in helping cars stay on the track while moving through the turns at high speeds.
Draft: The aerodynamic phenomenon in which air flows over one car, creating a vacuum behind it, which in turn can pull along another car, making it go faster. In the draft, two cars can travel faster together than a single car can. It is can particularly important when a driver is trying to make his gas go as far as possible.
Drafting: The maneuver where two, or more cars will run nose to tail, almost touching, during a race. The lead car, by displacing air in front of it, creates a vacuum between its rear end and the following car's nose. The second car is actually pulled by the first. When cars draft together, they can go faster than cars running alone.
Drag: Try this yourself when riding in your car - when riding in a moving car, put your hand out the window with your palm facing forward. Then turn your palm down to the ground with your fingers extended forward. Feel the air push against your upright hand and flow over your hand when flat with the ground. When you feel resistance, that is drag.
Drop the Hammer: When a driver pushes hard on the gas pedal for maximum speed.
Dry Weight: The weight of the car without any liquids like gas or oil.
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